Thanks to everyone for the continued love!
This isn't beta'd, pre-read, or had anyone look at it but me. Sorry for the mistakes. Lots of fluff that came from a dream I had and turned into this. Sort of-kind of based on Ancient Rome, but mostly made up. Completed in 8 chaplets.
Isabella breathlessly moaned as Edward relentlessly thrust into her, his fingers digging into the flesh of her hips as he propelled them both toward the precipice of rapture. Their sweat-slicked bodies slid against one another as they moved together intensely. Their lovemaking held a desperate edge to it as the hours dwindled to when Edward would leave with the rest of the army to head off the impending invasion.
From the moment the words left Carlisle's mouth, Edward's time was consumed with strategy meetings, training, and organizing the troops that left over the last two days. For years the Quileutes had warred with Volterra over boundaries and lands they wished to claim for their country, but never had they directly invaded the heart of the empire. Isabella called upon a strength she did not realize she possessed and aided however she could. On the outside she appeared composed, but inside she was a tumultuous mess, praying that Edward's fighting would not end in his death. Terror clawed at her heart and love wept in her soul.
In the late hours of the night, when the palace was finally quiet, Edward and Isabella would come together, urgently taking every spare moment to love each other in every way possible. Each coupling brought more intense pleasure than before as they learned one another's bodies intimately.
This lovemaking, however, would be the last before Edward left and Isabella pressed closer, held him tighter, urged him to move harder, deeper as if she could somehow keep him with her if they could get close enough. Edward kissed away the tears falling from Isabella's eyes and held her tighter as he loved her body. She tensed in his arms, muscles clenching with her impending orgasm and with one final pounding of Edward's cock into her, she came apart in his arms while crying out her love for him. Edward tumbled with her, biting down on the soft skin of Isabella's neck and soothing the spot with his tongue.
He pressed gentle kisses to the purple-black mark as Isabella caught her breath. "I am sorry for how rough I was with you, beauty. Forgive me, my love. I fear I have left marks on your delicate skin."
"I fear you have not left deep enough marks. They will fade too soon and leave me with nothing to remember you by." She began to cry harder, bereft at losing her husband just two days after they had wed. She knew he should have left immediately, but he stayed with the last of the troops to give them more time together.
Edward rested his forehead on Isabella's as a lone tear fell from his cheek to mingle with hers. "I swear I shall do everything in my power to return to you, beauty. I have decades worth of plans to love you."
"I shall hold you to that," Isabella answered in a hoarse voice.
Isabella watched with watery vision as Edward gripped his father's hand before embracing his mother. A few words were exchanged between the three, but did not carry over the wind and noise from the crowds gathered to see off to war the last of the troops and their prince. Edward turned to Isabella, his eyes dropping to her exposed neck as she proudly displayed the dark mark he'd left.
He stepped closer and wrapped one arm around her waist and the other delved into the hair piled intricately onto her head. His mouth possessed hers in a heated kiss – far too intimate for public eyes. Isabella cared naught for the growing rumblings of the crowd and twined her arms around his neck, holding him as tightly as she could.
"I love you, Edward," she panted when they finally broke apart. Over-bright green eyes met her honey-brown gaze with a mix of love, adoration, and sadness.
"I love you, too, Isabella. We have a lifetime of loving still left between us. Promise me you will take care of yourself while I am away."
"I promise, but you must return to me. You take my heart with you and I cannot survive without it."
"Aye, beauty. I will." His hands left her body and Edward joined his group as they embarked on their journey north.
Isabella watched with silent tears streaking her cheeks and willed him to look back, just once. He granted her wish, turning to stare directly at her. He touched two fingers to his lips, a secret salute to the last time he'd left her like this. The corners of Isabella's lips turned up at the romantic gesture and she mirrored his actions.
Thoughts?